Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts

Florida Tech’s Funk Textile Center Celebrates 10th Anniversary

Students check out an exhibit at a show of wearable art at Florida Tech's Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts. The center is marking its 10th anniversary as a key cultural and educational attraction on the Space Coast.

Permanent Collection, Attendance Have Grown Steadily Since 2009

MELBOURNE,
FLA. — Florida Tech’s Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts marks its 10th
anniversary this month as the unique museum’s growing permanent collection and creative
exhibitions continue to solidify its position as a major cultural attraction on
the Space Coast and beyond.

The Funk
Center opened on Aug. 29, 2009, on the Florida Tech campus. Housed in a
building designed by Melbourne architect Craig Suman, it almost instantly began
connecting visitors to the communicative power of textiles.

The
center’s benefactor and namesake, Ruth Funk, was a lifelong artist and educator
and member of the Florida Tech Board of Trustees. She passed away in 2015, but her
passion for spreading awareness of the diversity, beauty and relevance of
textiles continues through the educational role of the museum.

Over the
last decade, the Funk Center has welcomed over 50,000 patrons to its more than
30 exhibits, including “The Little Black Dress,” “Modern Twist: Contemporary
Japanese Bamboo Art,” and “Redress: Upcycled Style by Nancy Judd.” Nearly 250
contemporary fiber artists from Florida, the United States and around the world
have presented their works.

“Located
between Evans Library and the Gordon and Joy Patterson Botanical Garden, we
provide a creative oasis on campus – but our reach has grown within the
community,” said Carla Funk, founding director and current executive director
and chief curator of university museums, noting the educational partnerships the
center has developed with area schools and arts organizations since its
opening.

“I’m
most proud of the Funk Center staff who have raised the profile of Florida Tech
through impactful presentations to state and national organizations such as the
Florida Association of Museums and the Association of Academic Museums and
Galleries,” Funk added. “Our diverse exhibitions have evolved over the years
and, as our staff has grown from two people to six, we have been able to create
more immersive and interactive gallery experiences.”

The Funk
Center’s permanent collection has grown to over 1,600 objects from five
continents that represent over 500 years of history. Strengths of the
collection include Japanese kimono, South African beadwork, Central Asian
embroidery and Panamanian clothing called molas.

The Funk
Center will be celebrating its 10th anniversary over the next year with a
variety of special programs and events. For more information on free exhibitions,
museum hours and ways to help support the Funk Center and its endowment, please
visit https://textiles.fit.edu/.